OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS

That ominous quote and bloody print is pretty cool! Is this heroine actually an anti-hero? I’m intrigued!

Whimsifybox’s packaging game is strong, I like how everything is hidden and you need to unwrap or open many of the items.

Mockingjay bottle cap magnet by OhanaCentral ($1.79 AUD): well, hiding it in a jewelry bag had me eager to find out what was inside, but this was a bit of a let-down, tbh. The design is pretty basic, it just looks like a printed piece of paper on a bottle cap – at least it’s magnetic so I can stick it on my fridge, but it’s not terribly exciting.

Lightning Bolt Wish Bracelets by HooMeDesigns ($3?) – another item that didn’t really thrill my heart. I don’t mean to be negative, the idea behind this is cute, but I don’t want to wear jewelry that’s going to break and fall off at some stage, that’s not my kind of taste in accessories.

Manon Blackbeak custom-made candle by Happy Piranha ($14.80 AUD): now we’re talking! I love me some candles, and the scent of pomegranate and white fig is fantastic! Pomegranate is one of my favorite elements in candles, it smells amazing.

This artwork is STUNNING. I know nothing of Manon – does she literally turn into a dragon or am I just reading that too literally? Either way, the artwork on this candle is super pretty. ❤

I like how the scenery continues all the way around the candle and we have another view of the dragon in flight on this side.

‘Some Rest For The Wraith’ blackberry tea scented bath salts by TeaSoapBooks ($20.87 AUD for 16oz, so $5.22 AUD for this 4oz jar)

Omg, these bath salts smell SO DAMN GOOD. I want to EAT THIS. It’s like blackberry jam, I wish I could spoon it into my mouth, haha.

The salts are pretty, and I like how the purple matches the book cover, which is coming up next…

As usual, the book is wrapped in black paper with the Whimsifybox logo sticker on top. Inside was one last goodie along with the book.

Mulan stickers from LittleSurpriseShop ($2.09 AUD): these are too goshdarn cute! The stickers are very vibrant and fun and colorful.

Flame In The Mist by Renee Ahdieh ($20.41 AUD): how beautiful is this cover?! I adore how the flowers turn into shuriken, yee-ouch! I feel like that may be a metaphor for the protagonist being seeing as a pretty flower and turning out to be a deadly weapon…

The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

VERDICT

Quality of Curation: I love the theme ‘Fight Like A Girl’ – it’s wonderful that this box celebrates a ton of amazing ladies. There are some very popular and well-known characters featured, like Mulan and Katniss, and then characters known only to certain specific book circles – I’m not familiar with Manon, Mare, Kaz or Mia, however, they certainly sound badass. However, some of the items are a little underwhelming, for eg. the bottle cap, the wish bracelet and stickers.

Worth It? For Americans, this would’ve cost about $42.20 USD and the value is roughly around $40 USD, however, I paid $75.84 AUD and the value is $52.24 AUD. 😦

I want to note that when I first looked up Flame In The Mist on BD a month or so ago, the cost was $30 AUD, but even factoring that extra ten bucks in, I’m still falling far short of my investment. That was the case with my first box, but only by a few dollars, whereas this box’s value has dropped considerably. I wouldn’t get another Whimsify box again because as an international subscriber, it just isn’t worth it.

Honestly, it’s my fault, I stupidly forgot to unsubscribe after I purchased the first box and was super dismayed when I got the email alerting me that my subscription had renewed. >_< I really wanted the LitJoy box which I knew would have this book, and their box looks so much better suited to me that I’m kicking myself for missing out (here are twounboxings – aaagh, the Drogon mini-pop, the socks, the magnetic bookmark, I want ALL OF THESE). I’ve tried to be positive and assess this box on its own merits, but I’m disappointed in comparison to the LitJoy box. *sighs wistfully*